Machine for cutting sugar-cane trash, &amp;c.



PATENTED APR. 21 1908. No 885,486 W. J. KENT MACHINE FOR CUTTING SUGAR CANE TRASH, 8w.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE.13,1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR LIJ . 4' WITNESSES; g}

No. 885,486. PATENTED APR. 21, 1908. W. J. KENT.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SUGAR CANE TRASH, &0.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.13. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.No. 885,486. PA'fENTED APR. 21, 1908. W. J. KENT.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SUGAR GANE TRASH, &0.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1907.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

k f I r1" FIG. 3

INVENTOR No. 885,486. PATENTED APR. 21, 1908. W. J. KENT.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SUGAR CANE TRASH, 61:0.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR-13. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIG. 4

ll H pose, but heretofore, so far as I am aware no machine has been produced wh1ch 1s terial from the ground and feeding it to a I shoots the following season.

WILLIAM J. KENT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOB CUTTING SUGAR-CANE TRASH, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Application filed. March 13, 1907. Serial No. 862,231.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. KENT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city of Ne'w York, N. Y., have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Sugar-Cane Trash, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a practical apparatus, which in moving through a sugar cane field after the canes have been cut and removed, will pick up from the ground the tangled mass of leaves and cane tops called trash, lift to a cutter, and cut them into small ieees which are dropped back on the ground so that they may be plowed. under as a fertilizer. Some efforts have been made to devise machines for this purcapable of successfully picking up this macutter. The fertilizing value of the trash, if successfully reduced to a condition which will admit of plowing, and which before plowing will not obstruct the percolation of rain into the soil, is very great. It is nevertheless the general and as I believe the invariable practice to burn this refuse as soon as it has become sufficiently dry, a roc-. ess which is attended with the disa vantage of losing the entire value .of the nitrogenous constituents of the trash as a fertilizer, and of injuring the cane roots, so as to impair their capacity -to send up new According to my invention I mount upon a suitably constructed vehicle a revolving rake at the front thereof, which turns backwardly so as to sweep the ground in rearward direction, whereby to pick up and dis entangle the trash, and sweep or throw it onto a conveyer in rear of said rake by which the material is carried rearwardly and elevated sufficiently to bring it to the feeding and cutting mechanism; the feeding de vice consists of a pair of rolls between which the layer of trash enters and by which it is squeezed, compacted and crushed, and fed regularly to a revolving cutter, the blades of which, by acting against a fixed blade, shear or chop the material into fine pieces. As the cutter blades are disposed transversely to the path of movement of the material, it is important that the material shall picking it up, be presented transversely to its movement, except to the extent that the tangled mass was not materially rearranged,

and hence the cutting would be largel ineffective. To this end the revolving ra e is especially constructed so as to have the novel function of straightening out and .turning endwise the leaves and cane tops in the act of transferring them from the ground to the conveyer. I

The invention comprises also certain other features of im rovement applicable to machines of this 0 aracter.

The accompanying drawings show my.invention in its preferred embodiment.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan thereof; Fi 3 is a vertical mid-section, viewed from the same-side as Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a rear elevation; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in vertical section; Fig. 6 shows the toggles detached; Fig. 7 shows a modification of the rake teeth.

Referring to the drawings, the machine is shown as adapted to be drawn by horses, but it is to be understood that other power may be substituted. The machine shown comprises amain frame A which is supported near its rear u on an axle B, on the ends of which are dra t wheels C, C. The front of the frame may be supported in any suitable manner; it is shown as connected rigidly to the pole D which passes between the horses in the usual manner, and to which is pivoted the whifile tree E.

The frame A may be variously constructed, being shown as formed of two channel irons, the rear portions of which are widely separated and parallel, their front portions bem drawn closely together to embrace the pole which is clamped between them (Fig. 2), and their intermediate portions being arranged to converge obliquely.

At some convenient point a-supplemental or swing frame F is hung to the main frame A. The function of this swin frame is to carry the bearings of the revo ving rake G and to support the front portion of the con- Y cause this materia to travel rearwardly, at v the same'time lifting it sufficiently to bring it a or a transverse shaft e forming part of the :u out rake G. The frame F is shown as formed of tubular side members 5', f, their lower forward portions being provi ed with suitable su ports 9 9 adapted preferably to run or sli e he ground; these supports 9, g are s own as runners or shoes, but, of course,

rollers or caster wheels could be substituted,

as is common in agricultural machinery. The side members f, f are transversely connected by a cross barf.

, he rak G is shown as constructed of the horizontal transverse shaft e and with curved .20

elastic rake teeth h, h projecting therefrom.

- The specific construction and arrangement of these teeth will be described later.

The conveyer H may be of any construction adapted to receive the material thrown on to it rearwardl from the rake, and to roperly to the feed rolls and the cutter. he conveyeris shown as consisting of an endless belt or apron which may be of canvas or other textile fabric, or of wire cloth, or maybe a slatted apron, or otherwise. As shown, the apron is stretched over two rollers ,I and J; the roller I is mounted on the'transverse shaft 0, as close to the ground as is prac 'ticable;-' the'roller J turns upon the transverse axis a and power is applied to turn it and thereby drive the apron. To keep the apron stretched, its lower bearings b are made to slide u on the side members'f, and are pressed orward by stiff compensating springs '1' reacting a nst collars 'i which may be set or adjuste -to give the springs the re uisite stress.

he'feed rollers are marked J, K. Prefer.- ably the lower of these is the same roll J around which the apron is carried, so that the apron, with its layer of. material, assesbetween the rolls. Preferably both ro s are positively driven by suitable power, so as to engage the layer of material on opposite sides thereof, and avoid any tendency to slip, or fail to feed forward the material. This is especially important in view of the varying thickness of'the-layer of trash, and the frequent occurrence of tops or pieces of cane of considerable thickness. It is important that these should be drawn unfailingly between the rolls so as' to be crushed and flattened thereby, both in order to facilitate their being chopped across by the cutter, and in order to .render them more easily permeable by moisture when buried in the soil, so as to hasten their decay and conversion into suitable plant food. The upper roller K is pressed cause i stro ly against the lower one by means of suita e springs L, L, preferably arranged in housin and resslngldownu on the bearing boxes I: o the ro being adjusted b screws 1', 1.

In the rear of t e feed rolls is the cutter M. This is best made as a revolving cutter havin spiral kmves or shear blades, of the we known type. Its blades require to be stro 1y su ported at frequent intervals by hubisks l fixed on its shaft m. The

blades act with a shearing out against a fixed blade n'which is rigidly supported on anysuitable transverse member of the main frame A. This is shown as an angle iron, its upper flange formm or supporting a stri per or plate N 1g.5) onto which t ecrushed materialpasses from between the shaft their stress rolls, at which point the material separates from the apron, the material passin over this plate, and the apron clinging to t e roll and passing under it. chopped up by the cutter immediately falls therefrom on to ,the ground. To properl direct it, it is preferable to provide a shield of thin metal, which is shown as forming-a The material that is;

downward continuation of the fixed knife n.

This shield vibrates freely and helps to distribute the trash. 1

The several operative parts are driven a suitable relative velocities b ate or convenient caring. l c n the case of a draft vehicle, as s own, it is preferable to drive the active parts from the wheels C, C. ,For this purpose, these .wheels, which turn loosely on the axle B, carry awls p, p (Fi -1) which engage the teeth of ratchet whee s P, P, so as to propel them when turning forward, but slip when turningbackward. The ratchet wheels are integral with or united fixedly to gear wheels Q, Q; these'mesh with and drive gear wheels R, Rfixed on the. opposite ends of the shaft or'axle'a, so that by this'means the conveyer roll J is driven. On this shaft a is fixed a sprocket wheel S, which drives a chain q, supported on an idler q and en a shaft K of the upper feed roll K, so that this roll is positively driven in the contrary rotative direction tocthe roll J, and at the same surface speed. The shaft K of this roll carries on its opposite end a sprocket wheel U which, through a long chain -1', drives a sprocket wheels fixed on one end of the rake I s sired accelerated speed, a gear wheel V. is.

applied preferably at each end of the shaft'a, t ese gears being preferably made integral with the gears R, R on the ends, of the cutter gmg a sprocket wheel T fixed on the.

any appropriw which connect b shaft mare fixed pinions t, t which mesh with the gears V, V.

. It isat times necessary to lift the swing frame F, and its supported parts, to enable them to clear stones, stumps or other obstructions; it is also desirable to travel with these parts lifted in goin to or from the cane field. When thus hfte it is desirable that the gearing be disconnected so that the working parts be not driven. To accom lish these purposes I provide a lifting lever at one side of the machine, with its handle in convenient proximity to the drivers seat X. This lever is fixed upon a transverse shaft 11- which has bearings in the main frame A. Atone or both ends of this shaft is fixed a downwardly projecting lever arm a (Fig. 3) which connects by a rod 0) with a similar lever arm a fixed on another transverse shaft w, on the o posit-e ends of which are fixed lever arms chains (or rods or other connections) w wit the side membersf, of the swing frame F. Thus as the lever is pushed forward, the rod 1) is pulled, the shaft w rocked, the arms to elevated, and the swing frame F lifted. For holding the lever W in-eitherits backward or forward position, it is provided with a locking rod a: of usual construction, the lower end of which serves as a bolt, entering one or other of two (or more) notches in a fixed locking sector m.

For simultaneously disconnecting the gear upon the lifting of the frame F, I prefera of the lever, or of the frame, separates the gear wheels Q, Q from the gear wheels or pinions R, R. Since all the power for driving themachine is transmitted to and through the gears R, R, it results that by separating the res ective gears so that they cease to mesh, t e driving wheels run free; and the working parts are no'longer driven. This separation may be variously accomplished. One suitable'means is that shown, where the main axle B is displaced from or toward the Shflflrd sufficiently to bring the gear teeth out of or into mesh. In the construction shown the axle B, which is square and non-rotative, is housed in a hanger B (Fig. 3) near each end, which affords the required amount of la to permit the axle to move or slide 0 ily forwardfrom the position shown a distance sli htly greater than the depth of the teeth. 11 normal running the axle occupies the position shown; but upon moving the lever W forward, the axle is pushed forward in its housings to disconnect the gears. The mechanical connecton for accom lishing this consists preferably of a air 0 toggles or knuckle oints at each si e of themachine; these tog les comprise arms y, y fixed at op posite en s to the rock shaft u and links 11 ointed to them and engaging the round parts or end portions of the axle B. In normal running the.toggles are bent as shown y provide means whereby the movement in .Figs. 3 and 6, but on the lifting of the swing frame, the toggles are straightened to displace the axle and throw the'gears out of mesh.

The seat X is or may be supported in a usual manner upon a s ring bracket X fastened 'to a cross plank 2 fixed on the main frame.

For successful operation the special construction of the rake G, and its relation to the conveyer H is important. The operation of a machine for the purpose contemplated by my invention is attended with two serious difficulties: first, that the irregular and tanlgled mass of cane leaves and tops, which has een trampled u on and driven over so as to compact 1t ant press it partly into the ground, and which is often sodden from rain,

' is very difficult'to pick up from the ground;

and second, that in the effort to pick it up and transfer it to cutting mechanism by any means heretofore invented, a large proportion of the leaves and cane tops are caused to travel transversely of the machine, or nearly so, so that they are nearly arallel with the line of cutting action of the n'ives, which consequently either split them longitudinally, or cut them at a very acute angle, instead of chopping them transversely into short pieces, as is desirable and ractically essential to enable them to be rea ily plowed under and to rot, so as not tointerfere with the subsequent cultivation of the soil. Hence my invention is particularly directed to the provision of an ade uate and effective means for separating am disentangling the mass of trash upon the ground, and as it were combing it out, and arranging its component leaves and stalks in approximately endwise direction and transferring them in such position onto the conveyer, in order that they may be fed end-on between the rolls and to the cutter. To these ends I'aim particularl to avoid any pushing forward of the tras while on the ground; on the contrary I make provision forrapidly and forcibly seizing the rearward edge or fringe of the mass and separating and straightening its components by the individual action of essentially single arms or teeth. I have found that if two or more teeth act together in the same horizontal transv rse line so as to seize simultaneously the same leaf orcane, they tend to throw it bodily onto the conve er in transverse position; to 120 avoid this resu t I so arrange the teeth that no two of them shall occupy the same transverse line sufficiently near together to simultaneously engage the same leaf or cane; and I arrange the teeth to act in such angular 125 succession as shall avoid as far as possible, any simultaneous action of two teeth upon the same component portions of the trash. I thus cause each rake tooth to act se arately and individually, to substantially t e same 130 30 tions, to deflect without lifting or forcing up effect as if therake carried no other teeth.

Thus each tooth in'itsrapid backward movement encounters and penetrates the rearward edge of the mass of trash, and first combs it out so to s eak' into a 's rt of fringe directed longitu inally backward, and

' by repeated blows separates the leaves and teeth, while bein tops and sweeps them backwardly onto the traveling a ron, keeping 'them directed longitudina y, or near y so; acting in these respects as efiiciently as if the other teeth were notpresent. Within these requirements the teeth may be variously arranged,.

but I find it preferable to dispose them around the shaft e in a steep spiral, as shown. This spiral should be sosteep that the successive tips of the teeth occupy an acute angle to the direction of their move-' ments, so that even should the same leaf or cane be caught. by two successive teeth, their united action cannot turnthe leaf or cane into a position approximating a transverse direction, but must direct it either longitudinally or to an acute angle with the direction of travel of the conve er.

It is practically important t at the rake stiff enough to readily penetrate the tras shall yet e sufficiently yielding or resilient to enable them upon striking stones, cane roots, or other obstructhe entire rake and thereby liftin the other teeth thereof out of actions To-t 's end the teeth are made of highly elastic steel rods,

and are bent or curved sufficiently to insure ground, the teeth may advantageously be ent to a sharper curve(in Fig. 7). The teeth may be fastened to the shaft e in any convenient way, as by inserting them in transverse holes therein and fastening them by set screws.

Som'e means is reguisite for assisting the u ward movement 0 the trash to lift it onto t e lower end of the conveyer or apron H,

as otherwise a greater or less proportion of the trash will be thrown against the roller I, or under it, and would fall to the'ground and pass under the machine. Such proportions would be less as the roller I is made smaller and runs :closer to the small low roller and suitably shaped rake teeth, but a small proportion of trashwould be thus lost; but in any case it is desirable to have something in the nature of an inclined ground. With a 1 plane up which the rake may swee the construct this as as eleton inclined plane, or

trash onto the a mu. Preferably comb Y, fastened at its rear portion to the swing frame F, and having its teeth or fingers projecting forwardly and downwardly into contact with the ound, orsubstantially so. turned at their forward ends to facilitate riding over obstacles, but not so much as to direct the trash beneath them. They should approximate an arc coincident with the path of travel of the ti. s of the rake teeth. I have shown these gers as formed in pairs (Fig. 2) with their bends confined between two transverse lates constituting the cross member f of't e frame F. Of these the upper late f 2 extends rearwardly over the top of t e roller I, to guard against the material 'dropping down in front of this roller.

It is preferable to provide side guards to prevent .the trash which is thrownbackwardly onto the conveyer from runningoif the sides thereof. For this purpose I provide guards Z, Z, consisting of plates arran ed in,

substantially vertical planes, ,supporte from These fingers s ould be slightly upthe swing frame F, and projectmg slightly inside the edges .of the apron.

The speed of the rotary rake is a matter of importance, in order that its teeth may sweep the ground rearwardly at a speed sufficiently greater than the forward travel of the machine to effectively disentangle and draw out the mass of trash. With earing relatively proportioned as shown in t e drawings, a suitable speed is attained; but it is to e understood that this seed may be varied within wide limits wit out departing from my invention ,and it is desirable that the speed-ratio be made variable by supplying interchangeable sprockets for the chaln 1'.

My invention is not necessarily limited to theuse of a revolving rake G or a revolving cutter M. But it is preferable for simplicity tomake these parts revolve instead of reciprocatriP-For the rake it is only essential that the teeth, after moving forward in any suitable way, shall descend into contact with the trash and engage it with a backward swee ing or pitchfork motion at sufficient spee to separate it and sweep or throw its corn onent parts back onto the conveyer.

' T at feature of my invention whereby the rake teeth act individually with the sheet of straightening the trash and presenting its components in approximately longitudinal order to the action of the cutter, does not necessarily involve that the rake teeth shall strike backwardly from above upon the trash; as I have demonstrated that under suitable conditions it is possible to lift the trash and cause the rake teeth to act upon it with an upward and rearward motion, in other words it is .possible to turn the revolving rake end for end and reverse its motion,

-- saunas so that it shall lift the trash and carry it over the rake while separating it and straightening its leaves and tops, but this involves much greater com lication and difficulty, and is greatly inferior to the construction and arrangement shown.

It will be understood that the frame A may have any suitable construction for providing bearings for the shafts a, K, m and u.- In the construction shown this is provided for by means of castings A, A fastened to the respective channel'irons, and shaped to form the several bearings, as well as the housing B for the axle, and the housings for the springs L, L.

My machine is not necessarily limited in its use solely to canc trash, butmay be used for picking up and cuttin any analogous material, such as a tangle mass of leaves or leaves and stalks.

It is to. be understood that my invention is susceptible of considerable modification, and that certain parts thereof may be useful independently of the other parts or elements constituting the complete machine.

I claim as my invention the following defined novel features and combinations, each substantially as hereinbefore set forth, namely:

1. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame, means adapted to pick up material from the ground and direct it longitudinally, a conveyer for receiving such material and feeding it longitudinally, and a cutter to which it is fed thereby.

2. In a machine for the purposes set forth,

.aframe, aconveyer, and means adapted to )ick up material from the ground and lay it lon itudinall on the conveyer, combined wit feed rol s and a cutter.

3. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame, a conveyer, a fixed comb in front of the conveyer, and means cooperating with such comb to gather up material from the ground and lay it longitudinally on the conveyer, combined with feed-rolls and a cutter.

4. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame,'a conveyer, and a rake sweepin the ground rearwardly and adapted to pic up material and lay it longitudinally on the conveyer, combined with feed-rolls and a cutter.

5. In a machine for the purposes set forth,

' a frame, a conveyer, and a rake having teeth adapted to penetrate with a downward movement a mass of material upon the ground,

and by a rearward movementto disentangle and straighten such material and throw it lon itudinall upon the conveyer, combined wit feed-r01 s and a cutter.

6. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame, a conveyer, and a rake having individuall acting teeth adapted to enetrate a mass 0 material upon the groun and by a rearward movement to disentangle and straighten such materia and throw it longitudinall upon the conveyer, combined with feed-rol s and a cutter.

7. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame, a conveyer, and a revolving rake having its teeth transversely isolated so as to act individually upon a mass of material upon the ground, and adapted to disentangle and strai hten such materialiandthrow it lon itudinally on the conveyer, combined with eedrolls and a cutter.

8. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame, a conveyer, and a revolving rake havin transversely isolated teeth arranged s irall y in a line forming an acute angle to their direction of movement, whereby they act individually upon a mass of material upon the round, and adapted to disentangle ten such material and throw it lonitudinal y on the conveyer, combined with feed-rolls and a cutter.

9. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a frame, a conveyer, and a revolving rake having resilient curved teeth adapted to penetrate with a downward movement a mass of material upon the ground, and to yield individually to obstacles without displacing the rake as a whole, and to throw the material lon itudinall on the conveyer, combined with feed-r0 ls and a cutter.

10. In a machine for the urposes set forth, a frame, an endless bet conveyer, means adapted to ick up material from the ground and lay it l veyer, a pair of feed rolls and a cutter, said conveyer belt assing around one of said and strai ongitudinally'on the contively to' the rolls and cutter.

11. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a vehicle frame, a swing frame hung therefrom, an endless conveyer carried b said swing frame, and means ada ted to ie up material from the ground an lay it ongitudinally on the conveyer, also carried b said swing frame, combined with feed rol s and a cutter 12. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a vehicle frame, a swing frame hung therefrom, a rake and conveyer carried b said swing frame, the rake adapted to ich up material from the ground and lay it onitudinally on the conveyer, and a lifting l ever connected to elevate said swing frame, rake, and conveyer, combined with feed rolls and a cutter.

13. In a machine for the purposes set forth, a vehicle frame, a swing frame hung therefrom, a rake and conve er carried b said swing frame, the rake a apted to ie up material from the ground and lay it ongitudinally on the conveyer, driving means or said rake and conve er, a lifting lever connected to elevate said swing frame, and means adapted upon the operation thereof to simultaneously disconnect said driving means.

forth, a frame,

14. In a machine for the purposes set forth, the combination of vthe mam frame, axle and wheels, of a vehicle, a conveyer,

means ada ted to ick up material from theground am la it ongitudinally on the conveyer, feed ro ls, a cutter, driving mechanism for driving the operative parts from the vehicle wheels comprising a gear wheel car ried by the axle, and a second ear wheel driven from the first and carried y a shaft, said axle and shaft relatively movable to bring said gears into or out of mesh, and a controlling lever adapted to effect such movements, whereby to connect or disconnect the driving mechanism.

15. In a machine for the urposes set an endless be t conveyer, means adapted to ick up material from the ground and lay it ongitudinallv on the conveyer, a pair of feed rolls and a cutter, said conveyer belt passing around one of said feed rolls, whereby it feeds the material positively to the rolls and cutter, and a stripper plate adapted to receive the material emergmg from etween said rolls, se arate it from the apron, and transfer it to t 1e cutter.

16. In a machine for the purposes set forth, the combination of a moving vehicle, means adapted to pick up material from the round and direct 1t longltudinally, a pair of eedrolls receiving such material, a cutter to which it is fed b said rolls, and driving means for said rofls comprising sprocket wheels on the roll shafts, an idler sprocket, and a chain assing around one of said roll sprockets am said idler, and held by the latter in engagement with the other roll sprocket to insure the positive driving of the rolls irrespective of their varying separation.

17. In a machine for the purposes set forth, the combination of a vehicle frame, a conveyer, a revolving rake adapted to ick up material from the ground and la' it ongitudmally on the conveyer, feed rol s, a cutter, and driving mechanism comprising means for turning one of said rolls, gearing for positively driving the other roll therefrom in contrary direction, a s rocket wheel on the shaft of the latter rol, a sprocket wheel on the rake shaft, and a chaln connecting said sprocket wheels. v

18. In a machine for the purposes set forth, the combination of a vehicle frame, an endless belt conveyer, means adapted to ick up material from the ground and lay it ongitudinally on the conveyer, feed rolls, and a cutter, with yielding means for stretching said conveyer belt.

19. In a machine for the pur oses set forth, the combination of a vehicle ame, an endless belt conveyer, means ada ted to ick u material from the ground anr lay it ongitudmally on the conveyer, feed rol s, and a cutter, with guides mounted at the sides of the conveyer to prevent the material escaping from its edges.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. KENT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR C. FRASER, FRED WHITE. 

